BACKGROUND: Supposedly worried that environmental groups
were not consulted when the Bush administration developed its
energy plan, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filed
a lawsuit to force the Department of Energy (DOE) to release documents
revealing the names of consulted organizations. However, according
to a series of articles in the Washington Times by Patrice
Hill, a letter from the DOE to the General Accounting Office shows
that the DOE did seek advice from many environmental groups, including
NRDC. Some environmental groups declined to provide advice to
the administration. The Times also reported that the NRDC
initially did not return phone calls and messages from DOE, and
later simply referred DOE to a pre-existing document they had
released.

TEN SECOND RESPONSE: NRDC's accusations are another
attempt to wrongly make it appear that the Bush administration
has an anti-environmental agenda.

THIRTY SECOND RESPONSE: The NRDC criticized the Bush
administration for allegedly adhering to industry proposals while
not consulting with environmental groups. However, when the administration
asked environmental groups for advice, many were unenthusiastic
about providing counsel. The environmental movement is attempting
to diminish the administration's ability to protect the environment
while criticizing it for a supposed lack of success.

DISCUSSION: According to the Washington Times,
the Bush administration asked for input from environmental groups
such as NRDC, Greenpeace, the Sierra Club and others when formulating
energy policy. Reports that the administration is solely adhering
to industry ideas are false. According to the Times, the
American Petroleum Institute made 25 recommendations to be included
in the administration's plan, only four of which were adopted.
Similarly, the National Mining Association had only two of its
20 recommendations included in the energy plan. Environmentalists
fared far better: The administration adopted nearly half of the
17 recommendations in NRDC's report.

For a brief look at how NRDC is misguided regarding clean air,
see: "Sierra Club & NRDC Urge Calls to White House about
Clean Air Rules and New Source Review" by Gretchen Randall
at http://www.nationalcenter.org/TSR11702.html.

For a look at NRDC's views on global climate change and the
Kyoto Protocol, see: "Natural Resources Defense Council Attacks
Administration on Kyoto Protocol" by Tom Randall at http://www.nationalcenter.org/TSR50701c.html.

For a look at how NRDC and other environmental groups use fear
tactics to promote their agenda, see: "The Environmental
Movement: Profiting from the Politics of Fear," by John Carlisle
at http://www.nationalcenter.org/NPA313.html.

by Chris Burger, Program Coordinator
John P. McGovern, MD Center for Environmental and Regulatory Affairs
The National Center for Public Policy Research

Contact the author at: 202-543-4110 or [email protected]
The National Center for Public Policy Research
777 N. Capitol St. NE Suite 803
Washington, D.C. 20002